Grips for sporting implements such as golf clubs have taken numerous forms over the years. Early grips consisted of a wrap material, such as leather, in a helical pattern around the handle portion of the golf club. Over the years grips have evolved from the wrap type grip to a tapered cylinder of rubber, polyurethane, TPE, or similar elastomeric and shock absorbing materials that slip over an end of a golf club shaft. These grips are generally formed by a compression molding or an injection molding process.
The choice of rubber and synthetic rubber materials provides multiple benefits for the swinging golf clubs. Rubber is a material that can provide a good coefficient of friction to help the golfer hold the club throughout the swing. Rubber can also dampen vibrations and reduce the magnitude of forces generated by impacting the ball and the ground that reach a golfer's hands, which may prevent injury or reduce the chances of injury.
Since swinging grips were made of rubber, it was natural that putter grips would also be made of rubber. It was easy for manufacturers to apply the same manufacturing methods to the putter grip. Over the last several years the size and shape of the putter grip has evolved to better accommodate the putting stroke, which is much different than a full golf swing stroke. These shapes are larger and more accommodating to the types of methods golfer's use to grip the putter.
Vibration dampening in a putter grip may not be necessary or desirable. For example, dampening vibrations may reduce the feedback the golfer feels when the ball is struck by the putter. This feedback may be valuable to help the golfer determine whether the ball was struck at the center of the club face or whether the ball was struck near the heel or toe of the club face and to help the golfer make the proper adjustments to the putting stroke.